Aside from a virus affecting birds now, I point out that feeding birds in summer is bad for their survival.
Young birds need to learn to forage for themselves before winter. Half of great blue herons die in their first winter, despite food being available in fields and ditches.
I have some tolerance for helping hummingbirds trying to winter over here, and the songbirds called robins when there is snow on the ground because they like worms. But do prevent squirrels raiding bird feeders.
Keith Sketchley
Saanich
